Anyone going to the Chicago Upper Midwest Conference?

Though I rarely post here anymore, I figured I would see if anyone is going to this conference. Seems like it should be a good one with all of the mobile workshops instead of sitting in a hotel listening to some boring presentations.

It might be cool to meet up at a bar or something if people are going.

"I'm a white male, age 18 to 49. Everyone listens to me, no matter how dumb my suggestions are."

Cool, I signed up for that mobile workshop when I registered. We are looking at a potential commuter rail stop in my City and it looked like that one would be the most useful.

You'll get to see some beautiful stations and TOD plans in various stages of development. I guess that attendance is so low that we have less than 20 signed up for the workshop - it will be a small but mighty group. We've got some add-ons that will make the session interesting and fun (I'm not a fan of mobile workshops, so we're trying to make it as interesting as possible).

Where are they thinking of adding commuter rail in Wisconsin? As far as I know the only commuter rail station in the state is the Metra terminus in Kenosha.

The plan would be to have trains running from that Meta station in Kenosha up to Milwaukee with stops in Kenosha, Sommers, Racine, Caledonia, Oak Creek (where I work), South Milwaukee, Cudahy/St.Francis, and 2 stops in Milwaukee.

You'll get to see some beautiful stations and TOD plans in various stages of development. I guess that attendance is so low that we have less than 20 signed up for the workshop - it will be a small but mighty group. We've got some add-ons that will make the session interesting and fun (I'm not a fan of mobile workshops, so we're trying to make it as interesting as possible).

Seems like a lot of dislike for Mobile workshops in this thread (ok well only 2 posters). I like them. I have sat through hundreds of power point presentations and couldn't stomach another 2 days of them. Most of the presenters are dull (sorry presenters) and you really don't get a feel for the context, scale, and feel of whatever project they are talking about.

I know some sessions need to be in a classroom type setting like ethics and law, but when talking about something like TODs, I think it is brilliant to not only take people to the sites, but to have them get to the site via train. Talk about getting a feel for a project.

"I'm a white male, age 18 to 49. Everyone listens to me, no matter how dumb my suggestions are."

The plan would be to have trains running from that Meta station in Kenosha up to Milwaukee with stops in Kenosha, Sommers, Racine, Caledonia, Oak Creek (where I work), South Milwaukee, Cudahy/St.Francis, and 2 stops in Milwaukee.

I think I've heard about Metra going to Milwaukee, I just wasn't sure how much of a definite that is. Hopefully this will actually happen, I just wonder if you'll be able to ride all the way to Milwaukee with a $5 weekend pass. That would certainly give the $45 (RT) Amtrak Hiawatha a run for its money.

I'll be at the conference along with several of the planners from my department. I think I signed up for an architecture tour and I can't remember what the other one was. I'll be leaving Friday afternoon, though.